GWAS 2010 was a FANTASTIC Show!

We HAD TO go to the 2010 Great Western Alpaca Show (GWAS) in Denver, Colorado though we did not have any alpacas to show!  We loved seeing the showing, farm booths, the fantastic alpaca entries, the vendors, and last but not least the Fiber Fiesta.  There seemed to be so many farms this year (but I do not know the statistics, in truth) and definitely an excellent showing of quality animals!  I've always believed that any ribbon from GWAS is a good ribbon, with it being a Level 5 show and usually the largest show in the country.  This year, I think was no exception.

 





I have more pictures in our Facebook album, but here are a few to show you what the show ring looks like:

The farm stalls went on and on, with many great looking alpacas and both new farms as well as 'big' farms attending.  Many farms were familiar, consistently attending and sometimes sponsoring the show.  Many farms were new to my eye, and some of these were walking out of the ring with blue ribbons and purple banners.

For uninitiated, this was a perfect opportunity to see not just the showing but the alpacas up close.  Alpacas were outside their pens preparing for show, returning (hopefully with ribbons and exuberant grins on their owner's faces) from showing, or just out for walks.  There was shearing being done on Sunday in the back, and therefore some 'naked' alpacas in the pens. 

Of course, our boys were more interested in their video games.   We were fine with that if it kept them from rough-housing at the show!

If you went to the Saturday night banquet, you had great food and fun!  Michelle Swango from Eye of the Needle Ranch knows how to put together a good banquet!  Becky Zier (LaZyB Acres Alpacas) and Carl McGill (Bayou Creek Alpacas) emceed the event, and these two almost need no introduction if you are from around here or in ABR.  Tom Balka of Lavender Fields Alpacas was our live auction 'host' while Scott Miller from Crescent Moon Ranch (CMR) was our 'hawker'.

Scott was a hoot (and I'm not even from Nebraska)!  He must have been channeling Brett Kaysen, because he was great at the auctioneer stare!  But he got his payback as a less than flattering picture of him, hamming it up at another event, was auctioned off... along with his shirt, but that's another story!  Carol Yerden of Wolf Den Alpacas was lovely as the display 'girl' for one item, and I laughingly snapped a photo of her.  Jane Levene picked up the American Livestock Magazine 3-page farm profile, always a desired item.  We did not bid on the CMR Trip to the Moon this year, since we are taking our trip soon. :)  There were impromptu donations to help Claire Walker, who just suffered from a terrible fire, and the generosity displayed was heartwarming!  We alpaca breeders stick together!  Cass from Big Hat snatched up a great package of CMR and Front Range Alpacas breedings....  Probably good for us, since we had been bidding against Andrew & Michael from SpringToo for it!
 

Coveted breedings and/or trip packages, exceptional workmanship, and some fun items were auctioned live at the dinner.  There were so many great people, great farms, and lots of good will and high bidding at this event.  Worth the price of a ticket just to watch, let alone eat the food!  Did I mention the food??  If you go next year to GWAS, try to make the time and muster the energy (after showing all day) to go to the banquet!


Oh, and let's not forget the fantastic silent auction 'spread' that Tsulan Balka coordinated.  So many generous and coveted items that I'm sure it will go down in the records for ABR / GWAS auction events.  Thanks again to Jane Levene for letting us outbid her :) on the EZID universal reader... SOOO, helpful on the farm!

I could really go on and on about the event, the people, and the fun... But, you will just have to come next year and see for yourself! :)